holden



L. E. H L EN.

Fruit Can.

No. 76,917. Patented April 21, 1868;

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n. HOLDEN, or CLEVELAND, 01110} Letters Patent No. 76,917, dated April 21, 1863.

IMPROVED FRUIT-CAN.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, L. E. HOLDEN, of the city of Cleveland, county of Guyahoga, and-State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Cans for Preserving Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, and other perishable substances; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had-to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of myinvention consists in my mode of cutting of) the air from returning into the can from which it has been exhausted, and this end I accomplish by means of an elastic tube, and ,a stopper, provided 'with springs, which I operate in vacuo, as hereinafter fully described. i

To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I describe its construction and operation. I' use any of the cans in ordinary use, having metallic covers, but I prefer those which can be sealed with wax or cement.

It is well known that the oxygen of the air is the cause and supporter' of decay, and henc if any sub stance liable to decay can be perfectly secluded from air it would never decay. For this purpose it has long been customary to heat fruit in cans, or pour it in hot, so as to leave as little air aspossible in and around the fruit. But this process can never preserve fruit in its-natural state. It must be partially cooked, and then itis usually mixed with the sirup ofsugar.

By my process, I take the fruitjust as it is picked, and place it whole in cans, and preserve it by exhausting the air, and keeping it free from air. I use the wellknown means of producing a vacuum, and can produce a perfect va uum to within 5 Such a vacuum, if preserved, would keep any perishable substance many years.

Description.

I The following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of my improvements, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in which-- Figure I is a perspective,

Figure II a longitudinal section, and v Figure III a sectional view, showing-the mode of operating the stopper 0.

A is a metalliccover or plate; B is a pipe, soldered into the plate A; C is a stopper a a a are springs, for supporting the stopper C; D is an elastic pipe or tube; E is an elastic band; F is a section of apipe, connecting the tube D with an air-pump; e c is the hollow, in which wax is poured for sealing the plate A. to the top of the can; is a cup or enlargement of the-pipe B.

Construction and Operation.

Take any can-top in use, which can be sealed air-tight, and solder into it the pipe B, and enlarge the outer end, so as to form the cup cl. Then procure any stopper of proper size, of rubber, or any other material which can be madeto fit tight, and stick three or more pins into the small end, slanting out, so that their'heads wili. touch the sides.of thepipe, B sufiiciently hard to hold up the stopper, so as to leave a space between it and the pipe. Then take apiece of rubber pipe, of suitable size, and stretch it over thc pipe 13, so as to fit tight; and for this purpose the band E may be either outside or inside of the tube D, as it will best assist in making it to fit tight around the pipe B. Then attach the other end of the tubefD to an air-pump, and exhaust the air, which will pass out around the stopper 0. When the air is fully exhausted, the sides of the tubes D will be pressed toward each other from the pressurc of the external air. The air is prevented from returning into the can by pressure, from the outside of the tube D, with the thumbs upon the top of the stopper 0, as shown in Fig. III, by which it is forced into the pipe 13. Thus the stopper is worked in Motto. The tube D is removed, and, tomake all secure, the cup d is filled with wax, so as to cover the stopper.

When the .fruit is put into the can, it is a good plan to putin a piece of charcoal, for the purpose of oxidizing any carbonic-acid gas which may remain or be given off from the fruit, and in large cans it is a good plan to put in a small vial of caustic potash, so placed that it will be open, and yet not be spilled on to the fruit.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the pipe B, tube D, and stopper 0, as and for the purpose substantially as specified.

L. E. HOLDEN.

Witnesses:

A. It. MILLS, G. H. Bmnon. 

